Territory



(No Model.) v 3 SheetsSheet 1.

W. J. BLEY.

MACHINE FOR FRAMING TIMBER. No. 309,021. Patented. Dec. 9, 1884.

WITNESSES DTVENTOR m I BY I ATTORNEYS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J. BLEY.

(No Model) 4 00 00 1 9 0 e D m R Em m6 +0 Ina TP G N I M A R F R 0 F E NI H G A M .L 2 9 0 3 O N INVENTOR: 9%

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheen; 3.

W. J. BLEY.

. V MACHINE FOR PRAMING'TIMBBR. No. 309,021. PatentedDec. 9, 1884.

W V N ITNESSES DIVENTOR Trams @TATFS PATENT Orrrca \VILLIAM J. BLEY, OFSILVER KING, ARIZONA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ROBERT BOWEN, OFSAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FRAMING TIMBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,021, dated December9, 1884.

Application filed August 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that I, XVILLIAn J. BLEY, of

Silver King, in the county of Final and Territory of Arizona, haveinvented a new and Improved Machine for Framing Timbers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to sawing-machines for cutting tenons on the endsof timbers -such [o as the square set for supporting the earth and rockaround shaft, drift, and tunnel cuttings, and for use in framing timbersfor other uses within the capacity of the machine.

The invention consists in a timber'framing I 5 machine constructed withtwo saws mounted to cut at right angles to each other in a fixedsaw-frame, and with a traversing timber-carriage provided with rotatabletimber-clamps, by which the timber may be turned axially to present allof its faces to the saws, and that section of the carriage which carriesthe timber-clamps being mounted to rotate horizontally to present bothends of the timber to the saws, and the timber clamp frame beingadjustable toward and away from the saws, to govern the lengths of theframed timbers. The invention includes, also, special constructions ofthe timber clamps and carriage, and of the mechanism for setting thetimber with relation to the saws, all as hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate 3 5corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine with the timber-carriagedrawn forward away from the saws. Fig. 2 is a front elevation,

partly in section and with parts broken away. 0 Fig. 3 is a sectionalplan'viewon line 00 m,

Fig. 1, with parts broken away, and showing the timber-carriage pushedback to carry the timber to the saws; and Fig. I is a perspective viewof one end of a timber as operated upon by the machine.

The letter A indicates a bed or sill of suitable front and back timbers,a af,-respectively connected to longer timbers, a a, on which or othershaped tracks b b are fixed.

B is a bed-frame, which has ways I) b, or it may be wheels, fixed to itand resting on the tracks b b of the bed A, so that the frame B and thetimber-carriage which it supports may be moved to and from and past thesaws O D, which are mounted to rotate at right angles to each other in asuitable frame, E, and so as to cut to the same line both ways throughthe timber.

The frame E is set in a fixed position 0pp0 site one end of thetimber-carriage, and the Ge saws are driven by belts c d, leading to aconnter-shaft driven by any convenient motor.

To give the backward and forward traverse to the bed-frame B and thetimber-carriage thereon, to carry the ends of the timber to and from thesaws, I prefer to employ a rope or chain, F, which is fixed to theopposite bed timbers, a a, and coils around a drum, F, which is fixed ona shaft, F jonrnaled in the bed-frame B, and has a hand-wheel, F forturning the drum either way, as required. A pinion on the shaft Fmeshing with a rack on the bed A, may be used instead of the rope anddrum.

On the bed-frame B is fixed the base-frame B, which, as shown, extendsbeyond the frame B and sillA toward the saws, and on its end next thesaws said frame 13 supports the timber-carriage, which is constructedwith alower horizontal frame, G, pivoted to the base-frame B by astrongpintle, H, so as to swing around on the pintle to bring opposite ends ofthe timber to the saws, as hereinafter more fully explained. i

The frame G has /\-shaped or other'suitable tracks, 9, onwhichcorresponding plates,

i, or wheels fixed to the under side of an upper frame, I, rest, so thatthe frame I may be slid toward or from the saws to set the ends of thetimbers J for the requisite cuts in form- 0 ing the end'tenons, jj,thereon.

To traverse the frame I on the frame G, I prefer to employ a rope orchain, K, fixed to opposite ends of the frame G, and ceiling aroundadrum, K, fast on a shaft, K jour- 5 naled in the frame I, said shafthaving handwheels K by which to turn it; and I provide a fixed curvedscale-bar, 7;, on the frame I,- said bar having division-marks toindicate by the travel of a pointer fixed to the adjacent IOOhand-wheel, K, or by a marl: on the wheel, the extent of movement of theframe I either way to set the timbers held in the clamps properly to thesaws for length, and to gage the lengths of the end tenons of thetimbers. I show a hand-wheel, K with a scale-bar, k, at both the frontand back of the machine; but a front wheel only may be provided.

The frame I may of course be shifted by a rack and pinion or other"suitable devices. a The frame I swings around with the frame G on thepintle or king-bolt II as a center, and on the frame Ithetimber-clamping frame and devices are supported.

Thetimber-clamp frame L consists of strong posts L,tied together at thetop and bottom by stringers L and having vertical slots L through theirlower ends, through which slots the heavy bolts M pass into the frame I.The slots L allow the clamp-frame to be set higher or lower on the frameI, as the thickness of the timbeisshall require,for cutting end tenonsof varying sizes on the timbers.

To relieve the bolts M: of the weight of the clamp-frame and timber andset the carriage vertically for one of the cuts through the timber, andto avoid excessive use of the screws by which the whole carriage isadjusted vertically, as hereinafter described, I provideinterchangeableblocks N, of various thicknesses,

which may be set between thelower shoulders, Z, of the frame L and theframe I, and these blocksN may be set in place before or after thetimber is clamped in the frame or carriage.

The timber-clamps are arranged one at each end of the upper clamp-frame,and consist each of a strong face-plate, 0, having a true peripheraledge, so as to be supported by the rollers P, which are journaled instrong boxes Q, fixed, as shown, to the top and bottom tiebars, I], ofthe clamp-frame at each end of the frame. I show two rollers, P, at thelower edges of the clamp-plates O, and one roller above; but the number,position, and arrangement of the rollers may vary as desired. Theperipheries of the rollers I are concaved to fit the peripheral edges ofthe clampplates, to hold. said plates upright, while they are free torevolve edgewise in turning the log or timber to be tenoned. The timberis passed into the central apertures, O, of the opposite clamp-plates O,and is held to the plates by the clamp screws B, which are threadedthrough boxes S, fixed to the plates 0. The

screws have handles R,.by turning which one way the points a" of thescrews will be forced against or into the timber J tohold it to thecarriage. I show four screws, It, to each clampplate; but more or lessthan four may be used,

as desired.

In setting the timbersJ in the clamps of the carriage, and afterwardfeeding the timber by a vertical movement of the carriage to makesuccessive cuts at each side of the timber to form the end tenons, jj,thereon, the timbers will be placed in the clamp-frame and clamped, andthe timber will be adjusted vertically to the saws by the use of blocksN of the proper thicknessnntil'the center of the timber shall be raisedabove the meeting line of the cuts of the two saws C D, fora distanceequaling frame G of the carriage resting meanwhile on the base-frame B,as in Figs. 1 and 2. I then raise the carriageby means of the strongscrews T-which pass through boxes T, fixed to the four corners of thebase-frame B, and lift against caps T fixed to the carriageframe G-untilthe edge line of the larger tenon j of the timber J lies in the plane ofthe saw D, which brings the timber held in the clamps of the carriage tothe proper elevation for taking off the. first or outer cuts from eachface of the timber at one end. The pointed ends of the screws T arecentered in concavities t in the caps T so that the carriage is heldfrom turning on the pintle H while it is being lifted by the screws Tand while the saws are cutting the timber. The timber is placed in theclamps while the carriage is drawn away from the saws to the position inFig. 1, and when the carriage is elevated to make the first cuts alongthe end shoulder, j", of the timber and the sides j of the tenon j thehand-wheel F will be turned to carry the timber to the saws, which willmake their first cut. Themotion of the wheel F will now be reversed tomove the carriage back, and the clamp-plates and clamps will be givensuccessive quarter-turns on the rollers P to bring all four faces of oneend of the timber to the saws. The screws T then are let down to lowerthe carriage-frame G to the base-frame B, and the carriage is shiftedback a distance equaling the length of the inner tenon, j. A second cutis taken from each face of the log, which will leave the two endtenons,j j,on the end of the timber, as in Fig. 4. The frame I havingbeen shifted before the sawing commenced, by turning the hand wheel orwheels K", so as to allow just onehalf of the desired length of thetimber be tween the saw 0 and the center of the pintle II, and one endof the timber having been cut by the saws, as last above described, thescrews T will be run clear down out of the sockets t of the caps T so asto allow the entire carriage-frames G I L and the clamped timber to beswung one-half way round,which will bring the other end of the timberin' position to be operated upon by the saws, as the carriage is setvertically by the screws T and traversed by moving the hand-Wheel F", asabove described, whereby both ends of the timber will be cut alike, andany number of timbers may be out exactly to a length, and tenoned atboth ends alike, so as to be ready for setting up with mortised headsand sills in mine-shafts, tunnels, and other cuttings, for support ofthe roof or for other purposes.

In adjusting the frame I along the frame G for a different length offinished post or timber, the frame I will be moved either way, asrequired, just one-half of the difference in length between the timberslast out and those to be cut, the swing of the carriage on the pintle Hthen leaving the timber the desired length, as will readily beunderstood.

To provide for working all the screws T at once to maintain the truelevel of the timbercarriage at any elevation, so as to produce squareand true work, I have placed upon each of the screwsa chain-wheeLV,and-Ipass around all the chain-wheels the endless chain 7, and thechain-wheel at the front right-hand corner-screw T has fixed to it thebevel-gear w,with which meshes the bevel-gear 10, held to a shortshaft,'which carries the hand-wheel X, by turning which all the screws Twill be raised or lowered a like distance. I show the chainwheelsVfitted to the threads of the screws T, so that the screws work up anddown through the wheels; but the chains and chainwvheels may be arrangedin any approved way with the screws to cause simultaneous movement ofthe screws.

A graduated scale-bar, Y, held 'to the baseframe B by rods y, indicatesby the travel along it of a pointer or mark on the wheel the extent ofvertical movement of the carriage.

In framing theshorter timbers the carriage will be set out by the cordand pulley K K,

. so as to be liable to overbalance the carriage and cause it and theframes B B to tilt downward over the timber a of the bed A and towardthe saws, and to prevent this I provide a box or trough, Z, along thebase-frame B, in which the necessary weightsmay be placed to hold thecarriage upright andlevel, as will readily be understood.

It will be seen that the machine is very compact and all the adjustmentscan readily be made, as the hand-wheels are grouped or in convenientreach at the front of the machine, so that it may be operated by oneman, and round or unsawed or unhewn timbers of any cross-sectional formwhich maybe held in the clamps may have perfectly square and true tenonsof uniform size cut on their opposite ends, and the shoulders at thetenons will be perfectly square, so as to set solidly against the capand sill timbers and make a strong firm structure to support thesuperincumbent weight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A timber-framing machine constructed with two saws mounted to effectthe cutting operation in planes at right angles to and joining eachother at a single point, to effect the simultaneous cutting of two sidesof a tenon, and with a traversing timber-carriage provided with arotatable frame having at each side of its opening a timber-clamp, bywhich the timber may be turned axially to present all of its faces tothe saws, and that section of the carriage carrying the timber-clampsbeing mounted to rotate horizontally to present both ends of the timberto the saws, substantially as described.

2. A timber-framing machine constructed other in a fixed saw-frame, andwithatraversin g ti mbercarriage provided with a circular rotatableframe mounted upon and between rolls, and provided with timber-clamps,by which section of thecarriage carrying the timberclamps being mountedto rotate horizontally, and also being adj ustable to and from the saws,to govern the lengths of the framed timbers, substantially as described.

3., A timber-framing machine constructed with a bed, A, a traversingframe on the bed, and means for moving the frame, a timbercarriageprovided with vertically -rotatable timber-clamps O R, and said carriagebeing mounted on a pintle or kingbolt, H, to be rotated horizontally,as'speeified, in combination with the saws O D, mounted in a fixedframe, E, to rotate at right angles to each other, substantially asshown and described.

4. A timber-framing machine constructed with a bed, A, a traversingframe on the bed, and means for moving the frame, a timbercarriageconsisting of a frame, G, a frame, I, fitted to move along the frame G,and means for effecting such movement, and said frame I supporting therotatable timber-clamps O R, and said carriage being mounted to turnhorizontally on a pintle, H, as specified, in combination with the sawsC D, mounted in a fixed frame, E, to rotate at right angles with eachother, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a ti mber-framin g machine, the timberelamp frame comprisingparallel supplementary frames tied together at top and bottom anddisposed upon a traversing frame, in combination with the ringstraveling or re tatable upon rolls disposed in the supplementary framesof the timber-clamp frame, to get-her with clampingscrews carried bysaid rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a timber-framing machine, the timberclamp frame comprisingparallel supplementary frames tied together at top and bottom andprovided with vertical slots, and the ro tatable rings havingclamping-screws, in combination with the traversing frame provided withholding bolts or screws, together with adj Listing-screws acting upon aframe support ing said traversing -rame', substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

7. In a timber-framin g machine, the timberclamp frame comprisingparallel supplementary frames tied together at top and bottom andprovided with vertical slots, and the rotatable rings havingclamping-screws, in combination with the traversing frame having holdingbolts or screws, together with interthe timber may be turned axially,and that.

with two saws mounted at right angles to each 7 ICC changeable blocksinserted between said timber-clamping frame and traversing frame, andthe adjusting-screws acting upon a frame supporting said traversingframe, substantially as and-for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with the traversing base-frame, of thetimber-carriage havingthe verticallyadjustable frame mounted upon acentral pivot or pintle and carrying a horizontally-rotatable clamp,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, With the traversing base-fra1ne, of thetimbebcarriage comprising the frames G L, the traversing frame I, andthe clamp-frame O B, said frame having a horizontal rotary movement, andcapable of vertical adjustment by means of screws carrying toothedwheels driven by an encompassing chain and beveled gear-wheels,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

XVILLIAM J. BLEY.

WVitnesses:

PERRY WILDMAN,

.TAMEs B. MQNEIL.

